Freethought Radio

A weekly show by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Slightly irreverent views, news, music and interviews.

Evolutionary psychologist and bestselling author Steven Pinker
("The Blank Slate") will talk about his atheism, hypothesize about why
religion exists and discuss his books. The show includes a look at the
unorthodox Robert Burns, author of "Auld Lang Syne." Theocracy Alert
looks at the practice of swearing in politicians on the bible.
Freethought Radio is a production of the Freedom From Religion
Foundation and is co-hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor.
(MP3, 49 min, 22.5 MB)

Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Natalie Angier of the New
York Times, a self-professed "lonely atheist" and bestselling author,
will be the guest on Freethought Radio. Also debuting on the show will
be a new song by poet Philip Appleman, "Intelligent? Design?" arranged
and performed by Dan Barker. The show takes a brief look at
distinguished freethinkers born at the end of December. Freethought
Radio is a production of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, and is
co-hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Foundation.
(MP3, 50 min, 22.8 MB)

The theme of Saturday's Freethought Radio is the Winter Solstice, and it will feature an interview with Tom Flynn,
author of "The Trouble with Christmas," and the song, "Solstice
Tribute," by Dan Barker. As Freethought Radio's solstice treat for
listeners, the show will broadcast an excerpt from Julia Sweeney's
"Letting Go of God" one-woman play, in which the comedian reads the
bible and discovers it isn't everything it's cracked up to be.
Freethinkers Almanac features songwriter Jay Gorney ("Brother, Can You
Spare a Dime?"). A rare song by by blacklisted Gorney celebrating the
Bill of Rights, recorded by freethinker Paul Robeson, will also play.
Freethought Radio is a production of the Freedom From Religion
Foundation, and is co-hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor of
the Foundation. (MP3, 49 min, 22,4 MB)

Features an interview with Steve Benson, Pulitzer-prize winning
editorial cartoonist for the Arizona Republic, and
Mormon-turned-atheist. It is co-hosted by Dan Barker and Annie Laurie
Gaylor, who are co-presidents of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
The hosts will also discuss the Foundation's annual Winter Solstice
sign at the Wisconsin State Capitol, and report on the Foundation's
lawsuit challenging the creation of the faith-based office at the White
House, to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Freethought Radio is
a production of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. (MP3, 51 min,
23.1 MB)

Features an interview with Prof. Daniel C. Dennett, eminent
Tufts University philosopher and author of the new book explaining the
natural phenomenon of religion, Breaking the Spell. The show will also
excerpt a short highlight of Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg's recent
talk urging other scientists at the Salk Institute to help him wake up
the world to the nightmare of religion. Freethinkers Almanac will pay
homage to Mark Twain. (MP3, 51 min, 23.1 MB)

Features an interview with Ron Reagan, who will talk about what
it is like to be the atheist son of Ronald Wilson Reagan, and about why
he is working for stemcell research. The show will also give a nod to
the recent atheist pronouncements of entertainer Elton John. (MP3, 50
min, 23 MB)

Features an interview with Tom Reed, formerly a Roman Catholic
priest, now a longtime Freedom From Religion Foundation member and
atheist. In his honor, the featured song will be Dan Barker's version
of Tom Lehrer's "Vatican Rag." The November birthday anniversaries of
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Robert Louis Stevenson will be celebrated in
Freethinkers Almanac. (MP3, 47 min, 21 MB)

Features a memorable interview with distinguished TV journalist and author, Betty Rollin.
The award-winning former NBC correspondent is now a reporter for PBS'
Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. Author of "First You Cry" and "Final
Wishes," Ms. Rollin talks movingly about the need for
physician-assisted suicide and the Oregon law. Phil Och's song "When
I'm Gone" is performed by folksinger Kristin Lems, and famous
freethinkers born this week are discussed along with a little
referendum news. (MP3, 52 min, 24 MB)

Features an interview with Mike McCabe, Wisconsin Democracy
Campaign, who has filed a complaint to the State Election Board about
electioneering by Bishop Morlino, Madison (Wis.) diocese, among other
church electioneering concerns about upcoming referenda. Discussed will
be the Freedom From Religion Foundation's major victory last week
ending a proposal to start "single faith" prison programs in federal
penitentiaries. The show will also feature reaction to Chuck Colson's
recent defamation of groups seeking to end public-funded ministries in
prisons. (MP3, 50 min, 22.5 MB)

Features an interview with author and science popularizer Ann Druyan,
who was married to Carl Sagan, and co-wrote and co-produced the movie,
"Contact," based on Carl Sagan's novel. Ms. Druyan has written the
foreward to a new book by Sagan appearing in November, The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God,
based on the newly-discovered transcripts of his Gifford Lecture
Series. The show will also include a little news, a little music (Lena
Horne singing the irreverent "Ain't It the Truth," by atheist lyricist
Yip Harburg), and sound bites from the recent FFRF convention by
participants from around the country. Dan Barker's Pagan Pulpit will
address The Golden Rule. (MP3, 51 min, 23 MB)